Family in Amateur Culture and Gospel Music I
Amateur Culture and Family in Gospel Music I
We learn in our families even our parents are not professional teachers. Almost all have family that is seed of the human society. Family learning provide the sustainability for most issues such as music tradition. In the article, we examine family and music in perspective of amateur culture. Then, next article will go into details with example of gospel music. As an amateur culture activity, gospel music has sustained for 20th century by the family.
Family and Amateur Culture
Amateur culture can be applied for all fields of human life. For this article, we mention about music and amateur culture from the perspective of family. As we heard frequently, family is the first school of person that we learn language, etiquette (rules of good manner), foodways, social mores and perhaps music. Language, traditions and some habits have passed down via families. As I observe in my own environment, music making and listening practices, can start within the family.
Close your eyes and try to feel the sincerity, comes from the voices of relatives or friends compromised group, some sings, some plays instruments, some dances and some listens, together. They possibly do not play Sibelius Violin Concerto, in D Minor Op.47 as a peak of violin technique, it may be a polka, nevertheless the harmony of souls reflects on the faces with a soft titter.
Fall of Amateur Familial Music
However, with the popularity of record machines (such as gramophone), the fact that music can be played without an artist, broke the spatial unity and musical communication between the composer, performer and the listener. The role of both the listener and the artist, which makes sense of the whole, has been weakened.[1] Of course, this situation has negatively reflected on amateur music and family music. According to Theodor Adorno, music has lost its direct and face-to-face usage, especially since the 18th century. After this stage, music has become a commodity whose value is determined by the market.
The unlimited control of the capitalist propaganda mechanism with radio and film techniques has even disrupted the production of ‘domestic familial music’, which is the innermost state of musical practice.
Thus, alienated music has been isolated from human beings.[2] In Geschichte der Musik, Karl Storck also have confirmed that lack of musical practise at home have led to impoverishment of our music culture.
Gospel Music as an Amateur Culture
As a great example of family music that belongs to pre-alienation period of music, we will consider on Gospel music in Southern Kentucky for 20th century by grounding on the book of Singing the Glory Down: Amateur Gospel Music in South Central Kentucky.
Family constitutes the backbone of Gospel music in Southern Kentucky. The relation of music and family is seen clearly in this example. The core of society, say family, has a key role in gospel music tradition by protecting its values. In terms of amateur culture, family-centric, local and amateur groups have sustained the gospel music for a century.
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[1] Öğütle, Vefa S., Etil, Hüseyin, Heart Palpitations of Music in a Transitional Period, Doğu Batı Journal, Issue. 62, p.91-114.
[2] Oskay, Ü., Music and Alienation, İstanbul: Der Press, 2001, p.35-42.